It is known to use display boards to display printed matter. However, most suffer from the serious disadvantage that they are made of rigid materials so that if they are used outside then they tend to be easily blown over. One example of a conventional display board is a so-called “sandwich board” or “A board” that consists of two rigid planar members that are joined together at their upper edges by a mechanical or integral hinge. The lower edges of the planar members may rest directly on the ground or can be provided with individual legs. Some form of restraining means is provided to keep the lower edges or the legs a certain distance apart during use. When viewed from the side the display board therefore takes on an “A” shape during use. To store and transport the display board the lower edges or legs of the planar members can be brought together to flatten or collapse the display board. Such “sandwich boards” and “A boards” are known to be particularly unstable and are easily blow over by moderate winds when used outside.
The problem can be addressed by providing the display board with a very heavy base. For example, the display board can include a heavy concrete or sand- or rubble-filled base to which a frame is mounted. A planar member for displaying the printed matter or text may then be fixedly secured to the frame, rotatably secured to the frame, or suspended from the frame in such a way that the planar member can swing freely. Although the heavy base improves the stability of the display board, the additional weight can cause problems of its own if the display board needs to be moved on a regular basis. For example, in the case of a display board that is placed on the pavement outside a retail outlet or shop then it may have to be moved inside every night and moved outside every morning. This is not easy if the base is very heavy.
An alternative in some cases where the display board is usually left outside is to secure it to a fixed object such as a lamp post, sign post, telegraph pole, bench, tree or the like. However, this limits the possible locations where the display board can be used and means that the display board must be provided with means to enable it to be properly secured.
There is therefore a need for a simple free-standing display board that is versatile, lightweight and easy to store and transport and which can be used in any outside location without being easily blown over.